Japan reviews possibility of transferring Patriot missiles to Ukraine — The Japan Times

Japan is reviewing the possibility of transferring Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine, The Japan Times reports. Former Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera stated this during a visit to Kyiv. According to him, the administration of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi intends to begin intergovernmental discussions on further steps in defense support.

Onodera noted that legal and political restrictions exist for such a transfer. The publication also points to the practical problem of dwindling Patriot interceptor missile stocks due to the US war with Iran and Russia’s, the aggressor state, war against Ukraine.

Contacts between Kyiv and Tokyo

Over the past three weeks, representatives of Japan and Ukraine have held three high-level meetings. In mid-September, Speaker of Japan’s House of Representatives Eisuke Mori visited Kyiv, where he met with Ukrainian officials and received information about North Korean weapons being used against Ukraine.

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On September 22, Takaichi met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly debates in New York. Later, Japan’s Foreign Ministry announced a new package of sanctions against Russia concerning individuals and legal entities, as well as transactions involving designated vessels. Zelenskyy called the sanctions a timely and necessary step amid intensified Russian drone and missile attacks ahead of winter.

Review of defense strategy

Japan plans to update three key defense documents by the end of the year: the National Security Strategy, the National Defense Strategy, and the Defense Buildup Program. Tokyo is taking into account the experience of the Russian-Ukrainian war, including the use of drones and missiles, North Korea’s military support for Russia, and Ukraine’s experience of conducting a prolonged technological war.

In June 2024, Japan and Ukraine signed an agreement on support for Ukraine and cooperation between the governments of the two states. It covers security and defense cooperation, humanitarian assistance, and reconstruction. Japan is also a formal participant in the multinational Coalition of the Willing, but has not yet undertaken specific commitments regarding its role in its work.